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Author Topic: Ol Yeller RETURNS!!!!! REVIEW of the Target Exclusive Past & Present pack!  (Read 2493 times)

olyeller01

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Hello all, sorry it's been so long since my last review.  As many of you may have read I had a bit of a rough patch thanks to (of course) a girl.  Well I think I've dusted myself off pretty well, and seeing as to how I'm feeling better (and am also currently drinking some Dr Pepper with Bacardi 151 mixed in) I figured what the hell, why not throw a review out there on my old beloved JoeCanuck site.  I actually acquired a few figures during this time and I'll try to post several reviews during the next few days to get caught up...as time allows.  I have also thought about throwing out some retro reviews, as I recently purchased one vehicle in particular from the later years of original 3 3/4" Joes that is simply awesome...and little-known, for the most part at least, as it didn't cost me very much.  But I love it!  So you guys let me know if you're interested in some Ol Yeller-style Retro Reviews.  But, I digress, on to the task at hand!!!!

There has been a fair amount of buzz building around the Target-exclusive Past & Present pack ever since it was first announced, for a few reasons.  Granted, it's not as much buzz as was generated by say, City Strike Snake Eyes, but it still got buzzed up pretty well.  And why not?  The Rockslide was, in my opinion, one of the better Alpha-grade RoC vehicles to be released so far.  The Polar Battle Bear (referred to also as a "Rockslide" on the packaging) is a classic Joe vehicle from the early years.  AND included is the first "A Real American Hero" (what do they call it in Canada?) style Joe to be mass released since the Joe Vs Cobra days of the early 2000s.  Plus, he's a figure that not too many people have in perfect shape anymore.  The packaging is a mix of half RoC packaging and half original ARAH style packaging.  Plus, everyone hopes that the Past & Present set sells well, because Hasbro has hinted that if it does, there's potential for more great sets in this style.

The figure included with both the Rockslide and the Polar Battle Bear is the quintessential Joe Arctic trooper with the code name that probably produces the most snickers at Headquarters, none other than Snow Job.  From here on, I will refer to the original style Snow Job as "ARAH" Snow Job and the RoC figure as RoC Snow Job. 

ARAH Snow Job seems to me to be a very faithful reproduction of the original.  Unfortunately I never had the original '83 Snow Job so I am the wrong person to ask if this is a perfect reproduction.  But this is definitely an ARAH style figure, complete down to the exposed rivets in the shoulders and elbows and the date stamp on the butt (which says 1997, BTW).  He also comes fully equipped with skis, poles, backpack, and rifle.  The plastic seems to be of higher quality than the original Joes, and you can of course have a Snow Job who isn't yellowed.

Meanwhile, RoC Snow Job is a repaint of the RoC Snow Job included with the Wave 1 Rockslide, which was a repaint of the 25th anniversary Snow Job.  Instead of green trim, like on the SJ included with the first RoC Rockslide, THIS Snow Job has light grey camo all over his outfit, along with grey and brown trim and black boots, gloves, and goggles.  I LOVE this color combo...I've always been a fan of white/gray arctic camo (which is why my Joe Canuck custom had dark grey accents instead of the more traditional brown).  And the black and brown accents really, really set off the figure.  This is the best Snow Job yet!  And he comes with the full complement of accessories included with 25th Snow Job...hood, goggles, backpack, skis, ski poles, revolver, and rifle.  Which of course angers me...AGAIN Hasbro, why did you not see fit to include full accessories with the FIRST wave of RoC figures?  Especially considering that you were charging $16 for the wave 1 Alpha vehicles, while in this pack we get two Alpha-style vehicles AND two figures with full accessories for $25 US? 

Now, on to the vehicles. The RoC Rockslide is not a bad vehicle at all.  Light grey with varying shades of grey camo, it has the arctic camo that I love.  It's pretty heavily armed with dual machine guns protruding from the front.  There are two small, permanently attached missiles on top of the larger missile launchers, which themselves are mounted on top of the skis on either side.  The larger missile launchers will fire.  The front skis will also turn in tandem.  The tread on the rear is adjustable up and down.  The Rockslide would, to me, be a much more preferable vehicle to cruise the cold with than the Battle Bear, because it has an enclosed cockpit. 

The Polar Battle Bear is also a great arctic vehicle, but it also shows its age.  There's no denying that the blocky 1983 styling bears only a passing resemblence to today's sleek snow-going machines, but I find it refreshing.  Sure, a 2010 Mustang GT is a beautiful, wonderful car...but even though a 1983 Mustang GT is a vastly underpowered, blocky, dated design, it's still refreshing to see one of those old vehicles cruising around in this day and age.  Though it'd be cold, ya just have to dig the open cockpit of the PBB.  It has all the features of the original...the removable engine cover, the rotating front skis with missiles attached, and the tandem, moveable front machine gun.  Careful checking shows that 25th/RoC figures will definitely fit in the new PBB.  Like '83 Snow Job, I don't have an old PBB to compare to, so I don't know if the dimensions/cockpit are the same.  But if nothing else, it's definitely a great reproduction of the original PBB...right down to the '80's style fat foot pegs on the rear running boards.  My only complaint with the Polar Battle Bear is that the missiles on the skis don't stay on for crap.  Again, I dunno if it was like this on the original PBB, but if it was you kinda figure Hasbro would have figured out a way to fix it in the past 26 years.

This is a great set, definitely worth the $25 US being asked at Target.  Hopefully when it arrives in Canada, Zellers won't want an arm and a leg for it.  But it has a little bit of everything for everyone.  There's two great arctic vehicles here, an ARAH style figure that may very well be superior to the original, and a figure that is IMO the best Snow Job to date.  I also hope this set sells well, as I want more Past & Present sets!

So there you have it folks, the first in the new line of Ol Yeller reviews.  Hope you enjoyed it, and more are soon to follow! 

Pics: http://s635.photobucket.com/albums/uu71/olyeller01/Figure%20Reviews/
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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OlYeller01
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latinjoe22

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Re: Ol Yeller RETURNS!!!!! REVIEW of the Target Exclusive Past & Present pack!
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2009, 09:26:10 AM »

Glad to see you're back! I personnaly did not get to hold one of these past and present packs in my hands, but I'll think of your review when i do. By the way I quickly noticed that the pockets on ARAH Snow Job's shoulders were painted black or dark grey this time, which still looks totally natural to me.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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Re: Ol Yeller RETURNS!!!!! REVIEW of the Target Exclusive Past & Present pack!
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2009, 06:29:38 AM »

nice review. I'm interested in retro reviews. There are a lot of holes in my collection.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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